What is your favorite "solo" album of all time?

Tom Petty - Wildflowers. I come back to it over and over, and love it more as time goes by.

 

Oh, please . . . there was zero distinction between McCartney's solo work and that with Wings, except on the record label and jacket.

Without actually knowing, I'm confident he didn't have separate contracts for Paul McCartney/Paul & Linda McCartney/Paul McCartney & Wings/Wings.

 

I think that is correct now that I look up the timeline.
Ram does not count under my rule.

 

I was blown away by a few. I always think a solo album is done while an artist is still in a band and not after the band breaks up or the artist leaves a band.

Face Value by Phil Collins was an eye opener for me and I was a huge Genesis fan. I thought it was a departure from the band sound that I liked every bit as much.

Greg Keelor's Last Winter, incredible emotional album.

 

Ric Ocasek
Beatitude
&
This Side of Paradise

Ian Anderson
Walk Into Light

 

I'd probably have to go with Townshend's Who Came First, though Entwistle's Smash Your Head Against The Wall would be a close second.

 

What band was Lou in when he recorded the album?

 

I agree. That is what I was going for. An album is really not a solo album if the artist is currently not in a band.

 

Oh, I didn’t know there were rules. Never mind.
Next time put it in the thread title to avoid confusion.

 

It's greatness is without question but I tried to really limit what I meant by "solo" album.

 

I think the Chris Squire and Bryan Ferry picks were great. But I have to go with Rod Stewart Every Picture.

 

If nothing else, Ace made a record that was at least as good (if not better than) as his band's records at the time.

 

he was solo already--left the Velvets in 1970.

 

Joe Walsh - Barnstorm. Solo while 'in' Barnstorm?? An inbetweener. Anyway, one of my faves.

 

Stevie Nicks- Bella Donna

 

Maybe a cheat because it's a collab, but David Byrne and Brian Eno My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts.

 

I may have fell victim to my own rule. I thought Faces had broken up when the album was recorded. They were still together at that point.

 

Is the David Gilmour record circa Animals highly revered?

 

My first thought was Kristin Hersh’s Hips and Makers (her band: Throwing Muses)

 

David Gilmour.
edit: (very highly revered in my household....)

 

Freddie Mercury's Mr. Bad Guy

 

Does Belladonna count?

Edit: oops, I see I was a little late on this one.

 

Full Moon Fever for me

 

For sure. Mirage comes out the next year